Grand National 2000 Race Guide

At the first Torduff Express , Trinitro, Art Prince and last years winner Bobby Jo are in a line Torduff express jumps it well but Art Prince and also Trinitro the Norwegian horse falls and also Royal Predica comes to grief, the others are over it, Mely Moss gets hampered but its forward they go and the second seems to come quicker every year.

We are at the second and Bobby Jo is just in the lead but Sparky Gale makes a mistake, blunders and unseats jockey Andrew ( chocolate ) Thornton.

It’s onto the third and this is the first real test, this fence is a large open ditch and often catches out horses that are not quite into their stride. The leaders jump it OK but one horse does not quite get up far enough and lands very steep and throws his jockey out of the saddle over the top of his head. We wait for the commentator to catch up and he then reveals it is the very well fancied Dark Stranger. the horse is OK but the jockey Tony McCoy is still on the ground and is injured another coincidence ? as he was injured last year and taken away to hospital. Addington Boy makes a mistake.

Before we know it they are at the 4th a fair 4ft 10 inch fence but this catches out two this time Earthmover Paul Nicholls smart ex Pointer falls and so does Choisty but he field is now starting to sort itself out.

There're at the fifth fence in no time and there are four up front Torduff Express Star Traveller, Esprite de Cotte and Bobby Jo. they lead the others over the fence and at last we have the first fence where there are no casualties but the next is the most famous fence in the world Bechers Brook.

You know when it’s this fence because the lead into it is fenced on both sides and as the leaders jump this formidable drop fence, Torduff Express just falls about 2 lengths behind the other three and the laders jump it well, the field then comes to it and most jump the fence OK but Red Marauder who jumps the fence stumbles on his next stride and loses his front legs and falls.

After that formidable fence the course turns slightly left handed and the next fence which is the smallest on the course was the one that everyone knows caused the biggest upset in 1967 when most of them fell or refused yes it’s the Foinavon fence. . Bobby Jo is one of the first at it and he makes a mistake and manages to shoot his jockey up his neck and we all think that’s that for him but Paul Carberry hangs on to his neck and makes a brilliant recovery , he has lost a few lengths but this is early enough in the race to come on again . The rest jump it well and it’s on to the right angle left hand turn of The Canal Turn Next.

Star Traveller is in the lead at this fence and Esprit de Cotte is second. The rest of the chasing pack follow their lead at the fence and jump it well . At the back of the field Celtic Giant is getting a little detached.

The next is Valentine's and all jump it but Niki Dee hits the fence but gets away with it and so on to the 10th fence.

The leaders at the 10th jump it well but another of the fancied horses the Scottish National winner Young Kenny falls and happily both Jockey and horse get up OK.

On to the next fence and the field is now starting to sort it’s self out and all jump the next OK.

Nothing is going better in the race at this point than the leader Star Traveller and he leads the pack followed by Esprite de Cotte, Torduff Express, Papillon, Brave Highlander, Bobby Jo,Addington Boy and Lucky Town. they are at the 12th and the is a faller in the back of the field it’s Druid’s Brook.

They cross the dirt of the covered road again and it’s a long way onto the next, as they turn left handed the field starts to close up again and it's into the home straight for the first time. Onto the 13th and this proves unlucky for two horses Torduff Express and the Gopher both Fall. Brave Highlander makes a mistake but is OK .

Onto the next fence and as always happens here loose horses become a problem and Star Traveller who has now lead for some time has problems with the horses turning left then back right as his jockey pulls him to the right , they have a scare and the jockey hails a cab but he sticks with the horse. In behind a lot of the fence goes flying as a lot of horses don’t get high enough at it but only one in the back of the field falls and that’s Merry People who has been pushed along for some time.

The next fence many people are surprised to hear is the biggest on the course and is the Chair and this fence is narrower than the fences jumped so far , the loose horses run wide and Star Traveller leads, all the others over it and all are safe.

The Next is the water jump and Mely Moss Makes a mistake at this fence but again there are no fallers. But Tony Dobbin knows that Listen Timmy has had enough and pulls him up.

The jockeys left now have almost completed one circuit and have another to go. The placing now stand as :- Star Traveller, Esprite de Cotte, Papillon, Hollybank Buck, Bobby Jo, The Last Fling, Brave Highlander, Addington Boy, Stormy Passage, Lucky Town, Escartefigue, Mely Moss, Call it a Day, Djeddah, Niki Dee Village King, Suny Bay, Kendal Cavalier, Feels like Gold, Buck Rogers Flaked Oats and bringing up the rear is Celtic Giant.

Around the bend at the start they go and it’s onto the next which was the first fence just a few minutes ago but now the pace is more serene and all jump it safely but Brave Highlander gets bumped very badly in the air and looks as if he will fall but recovers very well and goes on. All seem to be going well enough and it’s on to the next.

Nothing has Changed and all jump the next.

We are now back to the Open Ditch but this time the jockeys are aware of it and all jump it safely although Niki Dee makes a mistake but it’s on to the next.

The next is the 20th fence and some horses are now getting tired, the field are now coming back a little to the leader and they jump it well but we lose two at this fence and they areVillage King and Flaked Oats.

The next fence is the one before Bechers and Hollybank Buck takes a slight lead over Star Traveller for the first time and all horses jump it with out any falling.

So it's on to Bechers and this fence often catches out horses on the second circuit when they are more tied than on the first circuit. And two horses who are in contention here fall, Esprite de Cotte and Stormy Passage fall and Bobby Jo who is following looks very much like he will be brought down but this very clever horse side steps to the right to avoid the problem and this leads to Paul Carburry being pushed out of the plate on the other side, he hung on when he made a mistake on the first circuit but this is a much worst problem and he surly must fall, but no Paul manages to stay put and this remarkable duo live to fight on.

Onto the little fence and all jump it well and Star Traveller is now getting ahead of his field again.

The next is the awkward Canal Turn and as the leaders approach the fence they pull into the centre of the course in order to cut the corner of this right angle turn. Papillon however gets the inside track at this fence and steals a length on Star Traveller and takes the lead, in behindBuck Rogers makes a bad mistake and falls, throwing his jockey clear.

It’s on to Valentines for the second time and we have a new leader in Papillon who is going very well then comes Star Traveller who is also going well Niki Dee is also getting closer and Mely Moss is making up ground. Papillon jumps the fence well but Star Traveller makes a mistake and strikes into himself and loses a few lengths and it looks as if he may not continue.

At the next the leaders jump it well and although the field is getting little spread out they all jump it. But there is a definite problem with the long time leader Star Traveller and he is pulled up.

At the next the horses at the rear are now beginning to fade but all survive the fence butAddington Boy makes a slight mistake.

This is now the last fence in the back and although the field is still being spread all jump it OK.

The long run across the melling road is next and the confident Ruby Walsh on Papillon is looking around to see how many are left as he takes a few length's out of the field, behind him are Lucky Town, Mely Moss ( going very well ) Addington Boy, Niki Dee, Brave Highlander, Hollybank Buck, Call It a day, Djeddah and The last Fling. These 9 are well ahead of the rest of the field and the horses in the frame will come from these.

Around the bend and on to the first in the home straight this is two from home Papillon Jumps in the lead, But only by ½ a length from Mely Moss and Niki Dee and Addington Boy are only another half a length behind . Any of these could win it now if good enough.

And so onto the last fence in the marathon Both Papillon and Mely Moss Jump it together with Addington Boy and Nicki Dee two lengths behind and they run on to the elbow.

At the Elbow the crowd is deafening as Papillon has taken the advantage and got a two lengths in front but runs off the rail and Norman Williamson gets Mely Moss onto the rail and then starts to catch up with Papillon. The Run In.

The commentator now can’t be heard as the roar is deafening. With 200yrds to go Mely Moss has caught Papillon and is less than half a length behind but Papillon will not give in both jockeys and horses give their all and with 100 yards to the line Papillon gets the better of Mely Moss and takes a length lead and it’s all over. The Winner As Ruby Walsh Raises his whip hand and punches the air and salutes the crowd. He’s done it at the age of 22 he’s won the worlds greatest steeplechase and the trophy is going back to Ireland again this Year!